Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Commission on Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technical Cooperation holds 21st meeting
WVR - On December 9, in Siem Reap, Cambodia, Secretary of the Party Central Committee and Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung, and , Member of the Standing Committee of the Central Committee of the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia Prak Sokhonn co-chaired the 21st Meeting of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Commission on Economic, Cultural, Scientific and Technical Cooperation.
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| Minister of Foreign Affairs Le Hoai Trung and Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia Prak Sokhonn,. (Source: VNA) |
The meeting was attended by leaders and representatives from various ministries and sectors of both countries. During the meeting, in a spirit of friendship, trust, and mutual understanding, the two sides discussed the cooperation results between the two countries in recent times across various fields such as politics-diplomacy, defense-security, economy-trade-investment, culture, tourism, education and training, transportation, and more, as well as future cooperation directions.
Deputy Prime Minister Prak Sokhonn congratulated Vietnam, under the leadership of the Communist Party headed by General Secretary To Lam, for achieving significant accomplishments and increasing its regional and international stature. He expressed confidence that Vietnam will achieve its development goals, soon reach double-digit economic growth, and by 2030 become a developing country with modern industry and high middle-income, and by 2045 a developed, high-income nation. The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the special friendship between Cambodia and Vietnam as an invaluable asset deeply embedded in the history of both countries; the achievements of each country result from nurturing traditional friendship and mutual support.
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| The Deputy Prime Minister emphasized the special friendship between Cambodia and Vietnam as an invaluable asset deeply embedded in the history of both countries. (Source: VNA) |
Minister Le Hoai Trung expressed delight at Cambodia's strong development and confidence that under the leadership of the CPP headed by Chairman Hun Sen and the dynamic, creative government of Cambodia, the country will overcome all challenges and realize its goal of becoming a high middle-income nation by 2030 and a high-income nation by 2050. He affirmed that Vietnam places high priority on its traditional friendly cooperation with Cambodia.
Assessing bilateral relations, both sides appreciated the positive developments in cooperation, particularly the successful organization of the high-level meeting between the two Parties (February 2025); frequent meetings and exchanges between high-level leaders of both countries to orient cooperation relations; and the effective implementation of cooperation mechanisms, most recently the Defense Policy Dialogue, Border Friendship Exchange, the meeting between the Defense Ministers of Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos, and the rescue and disaster relief exercise.
Trade and investment cooperation has seen positive changes, with bilateral trade turnover reaching USD 10.4 billion in the first 11 months of 2025. Cooperation in other fields continues to be maintained and strengthened. Both sides welcomed the inauguration of the Tan Nam – Meun Chey international border gate pair (December 8, 2025) witnessed by the Prime Ministers of both countries, enhancing connectivity, promoting transportation, goods circulation, and people-to-people exchange. Cooperation between localities of the two countries has seen positive developments with the successful organization of the 13th Conference on Cooperation and Development of Border Provinces (November 28, 2025).
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| Both sides agreed to continue maintaining and enhancing high-level and all-level delegation exchanges through all channels. (Source: VNA) |
To implement the agreements and commitments of the high-level leaders of both countries and further strengthen traditional friendly relations, particularly creating breakthroughs in economic cooperation, both sides agreed to continue maintaining and enhancing high-level and all-level delegation exchanges through all channels; promote the dissemination of the historical value of bilateral relations to all people; adhere to the principle of not allowing any hostile forces to use one country's territory to harm the other; closely coordinate in border management and prevention and control of cross-border crimes; accelerate infrastructure development and connectivity, border trade modernization, and procedures to facilitate effective investment and operations of businesses in each country; enhance transportation connectivity, goods exchange; boost cooperation in tourism, education and training, people-to-people exchange; closely coordinate in managing, using, developing, and sustainably conserving water resources, the environment, and climate change; continue close coordination at multilateral forums such as the United Nations, ASEAN, and Mekong sub-regional mechanisms.
At the end of the session, Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia Prak Sokhonn, on behalf of the Governments of both countries, signed the Minutes of Agreement of the Meeting. Both sides agreed to organize the 22nd Meeting of the Vietnam-Cambodia Joint Commission in Vietnam at an appropriate time in 2026.
Earlier, as part of the working visit, on December 8, Minister Le Hoai Trung met with Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun.
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| Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun. (Source: VNA) |
Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun expressed joy and deep impression at Vietnam's development achievements over the past year, including leading regional economic growth, successfully organizing major national celebrations, and hosting major international conferences. He expressed confidence that Vietnam will successfully organize the upcoming 14th National Party Congress and conveyed greetings from CPP Chairman Hun Sen and Prime Minister Hun Manet to General Secretary To Lam, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and other senior leaders of Vietnam.
Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung thanked Deputy Prime Minister Neth Savoeun for the special bond and good wishes, conveying greetings from General Secretary To Lam and our senior leaders to King Norodom Sihamoni, CPP Chairman Hun Sen, Prime Minister Hun Manet, and other Cambodian leaders.
Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung emphasized the desire to elevate bilateral cooperation to a new level, creating breakthroughs in economic cooperation, focusing on promoting transportation connectivity between the two countries; enhancing coordination in effective land border management and combating cross-border crimes. Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung also thanked the Cambodian Government for facilitating the Vietnamese community in Cambodia to live, work, study, and contribute to Cambodia's socio-economic development.
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| Minister Le Hoai Trung also thanked the Cambodian government for facilitating the Vietnamese community in Cambodia to live, work, study, and contribute to Cambodia's socio-economic development. (Source: VNA) |
Regarding the tensions between Thailand and Cambodia, especially in recent days, Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung affirmed that Vietnam always pays attention, closely follows the situation, calls for restraint to reduce tensions, dialogue, and respect for each other's legitimate interests, and adherence to peace agreements. Vietnam always values and supports efforts to resolve all disputes by peaceful means, finding long-term stable solutions for the benefit of the Cambodian and Thai people, ASEAN unity, and a peaceful, stable, cooperative, and developing environment in the region and the world.
